People all over the nation diet for various reasons which include weight loss, strength and conditioning, or control of some chronic disease. Many people don’t realize that they should be dieting for the benefit of their oral health as well, as what you put in your mouth not only affects your overall health, but has a direct effect on help your teeth. Usually by making a few tweaks to an otherwise healthy diet, we can greatly increase the strength of our teeth and gum tissue, and also arresting any progression in tooth decay and gum disease.

We first have to recognize what nutrients we are already consuming, and what nutrients are needed to strengthen our teeth. Being of the same organic composition as your bones, it goes without saying that calcium is most likely the number one nutrient that one needs to ensure they are getting enough off on a daily basis. With regards to your teeth calcium serves a twofold purpose as your teeth are anchored to your jawbone.

If the patient is calcium deficient, then the body tends to leach the calcium it needs from your teeth as they serve as a type of reservoir. However, this will not be enough for the body to maintain a healthy solidity to your bones, and the very jaw that anchors those teeth will begin to lose traction due to weakness. This will result in loose teeth, increase bleeding along the gum line, pain, and the likelihood that you may lose some adult teeth.

We suggest taking a daily multivitamin with a significant amount of calcium within its formulation, in addition to ensuring that on a daily basis you’re taking in calcium rich foods. While vitamins are great, there is nothing that is better for the body then absorbing the nutrients and minerals from natural foods. Cheese, milk, and some vegetables will provide a great basis for patients to increase their calcium intake and fortify their bones and teeth as well.

After we have taken the time to provide the proper maintenance for bones, is now time to look to the gums, and address any vitamin or mineral deficiencies which may affect or hinder the repair and healing of our gum line. And as with all tissue patients need to ensure that they are getting a proper daily dose of vitamin C. Vitamin C is like the body’s own ambulance service, dispatched to the site of damaged tissue to assist in the repair of tears and in the case of teeth fusing any gaps that may occur between the teeth and gums.

Dentist often lead patients confused, as citrus juices and fruits are often discouraged as over eating may cause damage to the teeth from the acidic nature of the fruit. However what most dentist are trying to communicate, set the ingesting of sugary fruit juices without proper removal after drinking can lead to damage. What we suggest is eating fresh fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, and Kiwis which are high in vitamin C, and whose sugars can be simply washed away by drinking water.

These are just a few things that you can do to improve your overall diet with regards to your oral health. Of course you should stay away from sugary drinks, and try to avoid foods and liquids that will sustain and or trap bad foodstuffs to the surface of your teeth enamel. You should also be sure to get your eight glasses of water per day, as they not only keep you hydrated but keep your mouth clean of any lingering bad sugars and bacteria.

When we look at the news in particular with regards to our health, it’s easy to forget all the things we should be doing in relation to taking care of our oral health. Almost daily we are inundated with what we should in should not consume with regards to every portion of our body with no particular focus on what we should be doing to take care of our teeth. Many adults mistake brushing two times a day as being an effective means of taking care of your oral health, when in fact this amount of brushing is paramount basically dental neglect. And if you were to sit down and think about it in realistic terms, intrinsically you know you are neglecting one of the most important regions of your body, and that is your teeth.

In reality most people’s cars receive better care than their teeth. Think about it every 3000 miles you take your car in for oil change, every 30,000 miles you take it in for basic tuneup, with reminder set in every form of digital calendar there is to make sure you do these things on time. Next in that hierarchy of things that we care for is our overall body, the physicals with your physician, the checkups with your eye doctor, all duly noted and for most people taking care of like clockwork.

Somewhere at the bottom is the neglect that we have with our teeth. How many patients can truly say that they have never missed a checkup even though a dental checkup occurs only once every six months. And yet dental care is one of the most expensive areas of healthcare, due to its procedure base and the lesser coverage by most employment-based health care plans. Many patients fail to realize that most of the problems they have are cumulative and result from the preventive means that could keep them from a large dental bill.

Sadly, as a nation we could collectively bring down the cost of dental care by taking simple measures to ensure that we care for teeth. This also means that we must teach our children the proper means to care for their teeth, and the only way to do that is by demonstrating proper oral healthcare as adults. First we must understand the importance that our healthcare professionals play in the routine maintenance of our overall health as well as oral health, and that by sticking our head in the sand it does not alleviate us of the responsibility or the harmful results of medical neglect.

Patients need to put in place a consistent and frequent daily or cleaning program that they can consult with their local Columbus dentist, which he will take the care to tailor to your particular teeth’s condition. This will usually be no more than simply brushing, flossing, and using a mouth rinse 3 to 5 times a day to assure that your teeth are in tip top condition.

Your adult teeth cannot be replaced, so they can be supplanted with an artificial prosthetic such as an implant, or dentures, but these are in no way replacements for the natural function and comfort provided by your permanent teeth. It is from the standpoint that adults should approach the care of their teeth, treat them like the jewels they are keep them safe, keep them clean, and keep them healthy by employing a daily routine like the one we mentioned above.

There are many mistakes that patients make with regard to their health, but none as crucial as waiting till something hurts so bad that it has gone from a simple fix, to a major procedure. There is no fancy medical term for this mindset, but there is a common English dictionary term and it’s called procrastination. And whether it’s taking care of stomach pain, or tooth pain there is never a reason to wait until symptoms are so bad that you have now created an emergency for your medical care provider. This is especially true with dental health issues, as many patients are unaware of the connectedness of oral health and overall physical health and their interplay within the body’s natural system. Problems with your dental health can almost be viewed like skiing, because as they get worse they pick up momentum and unchecked when they hit the bottom it’s a disaster.

This is especially true when it comes to oral health diseases such as gingivitis, which seems like such a small thing. When it comes to gingivitis many patients either don’t feel it serious enough to address with their dentist, figure a little bit of bleeding is normal, or just have a general fear of seeking dental treatment. And while gingivitis is treatable and a less serious threat in the short run, in the long term gingivitis leads to bigger problems such as periodontitis, and other periodontal diseases which affect not only your teeth but other areas of your body as well. Many patients are unaware of the fact that periodontitis in its most infectious state, can lead people with already poor health susceptible to strokes. The thought of someone having heart difficulties from something as preventable as gingivitis, is nothing short of a travesty.

The other travesty that arises from neglect of treating gingivitis, is the vast disparity in treatment cost once the patient makes that leap from simple gum disease, to something much more invasive. What is happened, is that the patient has now moved from an issue that could have been solely treated by their general dentist, however at their discretion if your disease moves beyond what they are able to treat in their office, you may be referred to a periodontist who is a specialist in treating advanced gum disease. Often times general dentist will transfer you if your treatment would demand anesthetics, or some type of surgery at some dentist don’t perform sedation dentistry on their premises. A. Honest will take measurements of your teeth in particular with regard to the spaces between your gum line and teeth, as periodontal disease will often calls permanent damage moving the gum away from the tooth.

When this occurs there may be a need for surgery along the gum line, to ensure that the affected tooth is not loss due to a bad seal, which can cause the need for root canals and other very invasive and expensive surgeries. This is why we stress that the need for a good dentist is paramount, as they are there to help you prevent the preventable. The reality is there were always be things that are beyond our control in terms of our health, but what we can control we should make extra effort to, and where the cost is minimal and expertise is at our disposal we must do our best to employ both measures to make sure that our dental health is as good as it can be.

Any dentist worth his salt will tell you that vanity is very much a trait that smiled upon when it comes to maintaining a healthy and beautiful smile. In fact most would encourage you to get in the mirror every morning, and every evening and give yourself a big cheesy grin. Why would Dennis suggest this? It’s simple, because as important as it is to brush your teeth several times a day, it is equally important for you to do a visual assessment of your teeth and gums to ascertain a visual perspective on their overall health. No matter how healthy they appear to be with a cursory glance, by giving a deeper look we can discover problem areas such as swelling and redness that we may have missed with just a glance.

When considering care of your teeth patients need to be reminded that teeth like any other part of your anatomy often are slow to show the ill effects of disease at the onset of a problem. As with any type of sickness, if it is not treated in the ill effects tend to be exacerbated over time, your oral health is no different when it comes to problems. This is why dentist preach a regimented type of care when it comes to your teeth of home preventative care, and routine checkups that are a must if you are to retain healthy teeth.

This is why a great columbus dental care is so important to your care. It literally costs nothing to call the office and receive advice that can save you thousands of dollars. However, it is baffling why patients decide that their best source of knowledge when it comes to care, is an unvetted source such as medical sites they may find on the web. What you want, no, what you need is a professional, someone who is trained to examine your mouth and put together the overall clues of your case and then present a treatment that will solve any issues that he gleans from your examination. Many people think that hiding in fear from dental issues will solve, but a lot of times the solution to whatever issue they’re having is much simpler than they ever imagined.

Another issue many patients have, and it is a valid concern is the perceived cost of dental care. And while there are unscrupulous dentist in the community, most are very aware of the financial constraints that may arise when seeking treatment. As your partner in oral health, your dentist is someone you can express these concerns to and he or she should be able to come up with a treatment plan that takes into account your financial concerns. And again this is why we reiterate the importance of preventative care, and seeking dental advice as brushing and flossing at home are free. Eating a healthy diet for oral health is free. And attending your regular checkups while not free is a nominal cost in relation to tooth extractions, dental implants, or any other number of expensive procedures that are usually the result of patient neglect.

What patients need to take away from this article is that it costs nothing to be diligent in one’s own dental care, that taking the time to visually inspect your teeth and ensure that food isn’t hiding in between your teeth and gums by flossing after snacks and meals cost you nothing but time. Was five minutes out of your day versus $5000 out of your pocket? Visit Dr. Sean Bates, DDS for great dental service.

Search for:

Recent Posts

Welcom

Finding good dental advice can be a challenge. Finding a good dentist is even harder. We've been through it, and this blog has been established to help people like you and I find the best dental care available. We'll explore topics that are important to maintaining good oral health, and finding the best professionals equipped to support these efforts for our entire family.